After being not seen for a long time due to various reasons, sea turtles have finally arrived at Cox's Bazar beach.
A turtle was seen returned to the beach after laying eggs in a secluded area of the beach. On Tuesday evening, a turtle laid eggs at Pechhar Island beach area of Cox's Bazar beach.
Abdul Qayyum, natural resource management manager of Nature Conservation Management (NECOM) said that the olive ridley turtle laid 125 eggs in Pechar Dwip beach area. These eggs are preserved in XC2 method under USAID's Eco Life project. In this season, the first tortoise was seen in Cox's Bazar area. The turtle hatched 125 eggs and returned safely to the sea.
NECOM's field worker Abdul Latif collected the eggs using the scientific method and stored the eggs in a safe place on the sandy beach in the ex situ method. Necom Assistant Director Dr Shafiqur Rahman said that the eggs will be intensively cared for in the hatchery for the next three months. After that, if the eggs hatch, the baby turtles will be safely released back into the sea.
He said the last time the turtle laid eggs on the beaches of Cox's Bazar and St. Martin's Island was in April last year. Sea turtles usually lay their eggs on the beach from September to April to May. But for several years, sea turtles are rarely seen on the beaches of Cox's Bazar. September, October, November, December is the time for turtles to lay eggs, but turtles do not come to lay eggs at this time. On January 15 last year, turtles laid their first eggs in Cox's Bazar beach area.
Necom natural resource management manager Abdul Qayyum said NECOM's research showed that in the past 2012, where turtles used to come to lay eggs in 52 places in Cox's Bazar, now only 34 places come to lay eggs. He said that the arrival of turtles in the sandy beach of Cox's Bazar is decreasing due to widespread tourism, beach bike riding, planting of grass trees at the place of egg laying, construction of hotel motels, lighting of the sea, current nets, caught in floating nets, hunting birds, foxes, dogs, etc.
Bangladesh Marine Research Institute Director General Syed Mahmud Belal Haider said that after many days the sea turtle came to Cox's Bazar beach and laid eggs safely.
We must hold on to it at all costs. Tortoises cannot be disturbed in any way. He advised everyone to be aware of this.
